sohaefer



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. SOHAEFER. RAILWAY SIGNAL (No Model.)

, 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. SGHABPER. RAILWAY SIGNAL. No. 488,225.

Patented'Dec. 20, 1892.

fizventor rrnn S'ra'rns aren't much.

EDMUND sonAErnn, or LYNOIIBURG, vrnemia.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,225, dated December20, 1892.

Application filed August 26, 1891- erial No.403,806- (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND SCHAEFER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lynchburg, in the countyof Campbell and State of Virginia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Signals andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawin gs, and to letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a systemof railwaysignals to be opcrated by passing trains, either visible 'or audible orboth as may be preferred, and which will give notice when a train entersa block or section controlled by the signal, the signal sounding orremaining set so long as the train remains on that block or section, andsaid signal stations are also to be placed at country road or railroadcrossings to give warning of approaching trains. Notice is also given bythe system of the direction of the moving train, all of which ishereinafter described and fully set forth in the claims.

Figure 1 is a drawing showing several sections along the line of theroad. Fig. 2 shows one of the signal towers or posts. Fig. 3 illustratesthe device for setting or cutting out a signal. Figs. 4 to 8 are detailsillustrating a switch for use on signal posts and train arm foroperating same.

This system of signals is designed to be operated in conjunction withthe Owen system of signaling, described in Patent No. 441,773, ofDecember 2, 1890, wherebya train passing a station automatically sends atelegraphic signal to the train dispatchers office indicating the numberof the station, and the present invention, though not necessarily connected with the system of railway signals, described in said patent, isdesigned to supplement the same and provide a system of audible signalswhich will be heard by the engineers of other trains at night as well asday time unless a visible signal is preferred for this purpose. On manyroads having light traffic the system of audible signals is all that isrequired, but on lines having heavy traffic both audible and visiblesignals, or the latter alone may be used.

In Fig. 1, four stations are shown, A. B. O. and D. the stations beingany desired distance apart, as for example, half a mile. Adjacent to thetrack in the vicinity of each station there is a post, a, b, c, and d,respectively, carrying a contact or switch device to be operated by apassing train,by means of which the signals are controlled. These postsmay carry a pair of contact plates forming the terminals of an electriccircuit, as employed in the Owen system of signaling, and a copperroller, rod or brush carried by a train striking the contact plates inpassing closes the signal circuit; or a pendent arm to be struck by apassing train, as hereinafter described, may be used or any similardevice for closing the circuit. Each signal post is the end of a circuitthat leads forward to a signal station one mile or other determineddistance ahead to set a signal, and also of another circuit that leadsback to a signal station one-half mile orother(letermineddistance behindto stop an audible signal or change a visible signal to its originalposition, and preferably the system is arranged so that a signal 7 isset one mile in advance of the train and it continues to sound orremains set until the train has passed half a mile beyond that station.Each signal station is provided with two bells or gongs M and N, ofentirely diiferent pitch, or tone, or audible signals of differentcharacter, one, for example, being of a deep tone, and the other of ahigh pitch; one being controlled by trains moving in one direction,either north or east, and the other by trains moving in the'otherdirection south or west, so that the direction in which the train ismoving will be known from the audible signal. Where visible signals areemployed the horizontal position will show that there is a train on thesection while the arm pointing downward will show the section to befree. The visible signal is not shown in the present case as its usewill be readily understood by those familiar with this art and thecircuits which are herein described as controlling and operating theringing of a gong, or sounding of other audible signal, may also beemployed to set and cut out a visible signal or to control both anaudible and a visible signal. For directly actuating the signal orhammer of a gong, I may employ the ordinary electric bell-ringingcontrivance as disclosed more fully in Fig. 1, wherein is an opencircuit whose electro-magnet f is connected to one of the circuit wireshaving the terminals f,

hereinafter more fully described, and wherein is inclosed, and forms abox, containing the batteries for operating the several circuits andmechanism for operating the gongs or setting the visible signal. Withinthe box P, and near the top thereof is a shelf F (Fig. 3) that supportsthe mechanism for electrically starting and stopping the signals; 6 isalever pivoted at e and carrying the armature of the magnet E at itslower end and a contact plate f at its upper end; e is a light spring toretract the armature end of the arm; 9 is, a flat spring carrying thearmature of the electro-magnet G and fastened at its rear end to theshelf F. In itsnormal position the forward end of the fiat spring 9comes behind the lower end of the lever e; a short distance back fromthe end of the spring plate 9 there is a shoulder or stop g on its upperside; f are the terminals of the circuit which rings one of the gongseither M or N, or controls a visible signal, a duplication of the devicebe ing provided for controlling the other gong.

' The electro-magnet E is in circuit with a signal post for stopping theaudible signal and the electric magnet G is in circuit with a post forstarting it. For example,the magnet E of the gong M, of station Bis incircuit with post a. and the magnet G with post (1; while the magnet Eof the gong M of station'O will be in circuit with the post I), and themagnet G of the gong M will be in circuit with the post of the nextstation north of cl.

When the magnet G is energized by the closin g of its circuit by apassing train, the spring plate gis drawn down releasing the arm e, andthe spring 8 retracting the lower end of the arm throws the contactplate fagainst the terminals f, and closes the circuit of the gong, andthe gong continues to ring until the circuit is broken by an impulsecoming over the circuit of the magnet E. The stop g limits the rearwardmovement of the arm e. When the circuit of the magnet E is closed thearm 6 is drawn forward breaking the circuit of the gong atf, and therebycutting out the signal, at the same time, the spring plate g locks thearm 6 and holds it locked until the magnet G is again energized.

Referring now to the switch device illuscircuits.

trated by Figs. 4, 5 and 6, H is a pendent arm carried on the shaft h,which shaft has two small insulated cams 71 that engage with theterminal plates K, of electro-magnets that close the signal circuit, ofwhich these plates are the terminals, when the arm H is swung out of avertical position. The locomotive or passing train is provided with aprojecting rod R that will strike the pendent arm H in passing, throwingit to one side and thus m0- mentarily cause the cams h to engage withthe terminal plates K, closing their respective One of these circuitsleads forward to the signal one mile ahead that is to be set and theother circuit leads back a half mile behind to the signal that is to becut out.

-As a further improvement a second group of terminal plates k, arrangedon the opposite side of the cams h are employed, so that when the arm His struck by a train passing in one direction, as for example, goingeast, the arm will be first swung to the east and the circuit will beestablished through the contact plates K by the cam it; while when thearm is struck by a train going west it will be first swung to the westand the circuit will be established through the contact plates It" bythe cams h. To prevent the arm H from swingingback after it has beenstruck and swung in one direction by a passing train and thereby closethe circuit of the other group of contact plates, springs L areprovided, which will stop the swinging of the arm and bring it to restat once. These springs are connected to a pendant Z, sleeved fixedly tothe shaft h, and to the sides of a closure or housing L, secured to apost, respectively.

The train arm R for operating the switch is preferably attached to thecab of the locomotive as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and is carried by thevertical standard R. This standard is supported in square sockets raffixed to the side of the cab, the standard R at its bottom and alsowhere it passes through the upper socket, being made square so that itwill be held fast in its support, but by lifting it a short distance andthen turning it the cross arm R can be swung back parallel with thetrack where it will not strike the pendent arms H. This is done when anengine is switching or backing or for other reasons it is not desired tooperate the signals.

.Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a system of electric railway signals a pendent arm H hung adjacentto the track where it can be struck by a projecting arm on a passingtrain, said arm hanging from a shaft h carrying an insulated cam h incombination with two pairs of spring terminal plates of two electriccircuits, the plates being located on opposite sides of the cam h,together with a spring L for stopping the swinging of the arm, wherebythe swinging of the arm by a train passing in one direction will closeone of the circuits, and the swinging of the arm by a IIO train passingin an opposite direction will close the other circuit. a

2. In a system of electric railway signals a pendent arm H hung adjacentto the track where it can be struck by a projecting arm on a passingtrain, said arm hanging from a shaft h in combination with a pair ofinsulated cams h and two sets of circuit terminal plates arranged onopposite sides of the cams h, together with springs L for checking themovement of the arm, whereby the swinging of the arm H by a train.passing in one direction will close the circuits of one set of signals,and the swinging of the arm in an opposite direction by a train passingin that direction will close I 5 the circuits of the other signals, asand for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDMUND SOI-IAEFER.

Witnesses:

JNo. STEWART WALKER, S. H. FRANKLIN.

